The Author's Voice
by Richard Greenberg

THE STORY: Smitten with her latest protege, a handsome young writer with a “special voice,” a pretty editor accompanies him back to his apartment—the better to see from whence his inspiration springs, and also to toast their new creative partnership.

But while she is captivated by the writer's good looks and laid-back, low-key manner, she begins, increasingly, to wonder (to the audience) at the emptiness—even banality—of his conversation.

In fact the only time he isn't boring is when he is quoting poetic passages from his novel in progress.

The reason is soon apparent: the real author is a poor misshapen, Quasimodo-like creature whose physical ugliness has forced him to remain closeted, while his literary brilliance is credited to another (whose main contribution is, in fact, his striking jacket photograph).

The revelation of this “Beauty and the Beast” phenomenon is, as might be expected in the cynical publishing business, received with more diffidence than dismay but, thanks to some clever and very funny twists and turns of plot, everyone does, in the end, get exactly what he or she deserves.